1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lighting equipment adapted for outdoor location, and more particularly, to a lighting equipment operable from a solar cell, the equipment being of the type which is adapted for outdoor use in public facilities, such as parks and gardens.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, the known outdoor lighting equipments are designed to operate on commercial power sources. For example, when the equipments are to be installed in a public park, electric cables must be embedded in the ground, and additionally, a control system including photoelectricity converting elements, Schmidt circuits, switching circuits and supply circuits, must be provided so as to control a current supply from the power source. To install such known lighting equipments, civil works are required often at the sacrifice of spoiling the scenic beauty of the parks. In addition, the employment of expensive cables are reflected in the costs.
The present invention aims at solving the problems pointed out above with respect to the known lighting equipments, and has for its object to provide an improved lighting equipment capable of being located at a place having no access to a commercial power source without the necessity for any civil and wiring works.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved lighting equipment capable of providing light even when the electric supply is cut off for some reason or other.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved lighting equipment capable of lighting for a predetermined period of time after sunset, and of automatically going out at midnights when pedestrians disappear in the parks and streets, thereby enabling a relatively small and cheap solar cell to be effectively used.
A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved lighting equipment in which the lamps are automatically lit and extinguished under the control system operable on an emf of a solar cell, thereby eliminating the necessity for having access to any other power supply.
Regardless of the advantages mentioned above it may happen that the battery is discharged below its full capacity because of the shortage of sunlight. This requires a routine watching service, and when necessary, recharging or replacing. This is troublesome and expensive.
It is therefore a further object of the present invention to provide an improved lighting equipment capable of using the energy of a battery without overdischarging the same, thereby avoiding recharging or replacing the battery.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for the purpose of illustration only, preferred embodiments in accordance with the present invention.